New Beginnings
by StarryNight101
Summary: Usagi thought that defeating Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom was the hardest thing she would ever have to do. But when a new enemy shows up, Mamoru starts acting strangely, peculiar new Senshi arrive, and some mysterious old foes return, she begins to realize she may be in over her head. Set during season 2, with a twist. Sequel to Changes, but can act as a standalone story.
1. It Starts All Over Again

**DISCLAIMER: Do you really think I own Sailor Moon? Sailor Moon never has and never will belong to me. :(**

**AN: Hello, everyone! This story is a sequel to my fanfic set during season 1, Changes, but I'm pretty sure it can act as a standalone story as well. There will be definitely be references to Changes, but I want this to be accessible to as many people as possible, so it shouldn't be a problem if you haven't read Changes. (But -little bit of shameless self-promotion here- I encourage you to read Changes for the full experience!)**

**For those of you who _have_ read Changes, this story will be similar in the sense that it follows the basic plot of the R season, but with some changes. However, this will stray a bit more from canon than Changes did, which you will notice already in this chapter.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and please review to let me know what you think!**

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><p>It was a bright, sunny day in Tokyo, and Usagi sat on a bench in the park, sighing contentedly. It had been a few weeks since everyone's memories returned after the fight with Queen Beryl. Luna had warned of a new enemy, but aside from the occasional youma attack, and some bizarre energy readings, everything was normal.<p>

She and Mamoru were finally a real couple, she was getting slightly better grades in school with his help in tutoring her, and she, Ami, Rei, Minako and Makoto could finally just be normal girls with normal lives.

Plus, Ikuko didn't seem to have regained her memories, so Usagi didn't have to deal with her mom knowing she was Sailor Moon. It was a relief, but also a bit of a disappointment. She wasn't sure how to have a relationship with her mom when Ikuko knew the truth about her daughter.

It made things easier, and yet… telling her had been such a relief. She had wanted so badly to tell her family, to stop lying and sneaking around. Having her family know about her secret identity would make things so much easier, and also so much harder. But she knew she didn't have a choice, as long as her mom didn't remember, she couldn't tell them. They would be safer that way.

"Sorry I'm late," a voice said, interrupting Usagi's thoughts.

"I thought _I_ was the one with punctuality issues," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I got tied up with work at the university," Mamoru said. "But I'm here now." He smiled, but it seemed a little forced, and something seemed a little off about him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yes, I know, me being late must mean the world is ending or I'm terribly sick," he said. "I already apologized, Usako. Now could we please get on with our date? I was really looking forward to it."

Usagi smiled. She loved it when he called her Usako. He was waiting with his hand outstretched, and she took it, pulling herself up off the bench. He drew her into an embrace, and kissed her.

"Did I say I was sorry for being late?" he said between kisses.

"Mm, if this is the kind of apology I get you should be late more often," she said. He playfully scowled at her, and she shook off the feeling she'd had earlier that something was off about him. She had to stop over-thinking these things.

Although their relationship was great, things weren't entirely without trouble. It was weird, trying to begin a relationship with Mamoru, when she had all these memories of their past life together. They had all the memories of Serenity and Endymion, but they weren't really those people anymore. Mamoru and Usagi were new to this relationship, but Serenity and Endymion had already loved and lost.

And then there was the issue of when Mamoru had been brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom. Usagi shuddered at the thought. That had been one of the darkest periods of her life. Becoming Sailor Moon, fighting the Dark Kingdom… all of it was so hard, but losing Mamoru, right after she realized what he meant to her, that was what nearly broke her.

Even after getting him back, Usagi was occasionally plagued by nightmares and doubts, and an overwhelming feeling she would lose him again. She was always on the lookout for slight abnormalities, something to suggest that things would change for the worse. It was ridiculous, of course, nothing could tear them apart now that they had found each other again. But she still worried, because she didn't think she could stand losing him again. Not now, not after everything she'd been through.

"Usagi?" Mamoru said. "Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry," she said, plastering a smile onto her face. She was on a date with her boyfriend, it was a beautiful day, and her life was going great. Now was not the time to worry. "What were you saying?"

"You can be so air-headed sometimes," he chided gently. "I was just saying that I got us reservations at that new restaurant, so we have an hour to kill before lunch."

"Ooh, that sounds so nice," she said. "How did you manage to get reservations on such short notice?"

"Motoki is friends with the owner, I asked him to call in a favor," he said. "Being the best friend of the manager of a café and arcade sure can be useful."

"Do you think we should tell Motoki about our relationship?" she asked, resting her head against his shoulder. So far, they'd been keeping their relationship relatively secret. Of course, the Senshi all knew about it, but no one else did. They'd wanted to take things slow, and keep it to themselves for a little while.

"Eventually," he said. "And I'm sure he'll be mad when he founds out we've been keeping it a secret. But I kind of like having it just be between us at the moment."

"Me too," Usagi admitted.

They walked in silence through the park for a few minutes, enjoying the sunny weather and each other's company. A sudden scream sliced through the serene silence. Mamoru and Usagi looked at each other, each knowing what it must be: a youma attack.

Usagi broke into a run, Mamoru following close behind. Up ahead, there was some sort of youma, although it looked different from anything she had seen before. It was terrorizing the people in the park, breathing ice, which froze people solid if it touched them. Seeing them approach, the youma turned towards them, and with a guttural roar, it sent ice in their direction.

"Go transform!" Mamoru said, pushing Usagi out of the way of the blast, and narrowly dodging it himself.

Dashing behind a tree, Usagi called out her transformation phrase. "Moon Prism Power!" She pulled out her communicator, and quickly called the other Senshi, informing them of the youma attack.

"Hey you!" she said, stepping out from behind the tree. Mamoru was trying to hold off the youma, but he hadn't transformed into Tuxedo Kamen, and so Sailor Moon knew he wouldn't last long. She needed to distract the youma long enough for the other Senshi to arrive, and help finish it off.

"What do you think you're doing, freezing people on such a beautiful day like this?" she said, hoping to draw the youma's attention away from Mamoru and the innocent civilians. "People should be spending time with their loved ones, and enjoying the sunshine, not running for their lives!"

The youma didn't say anything, but it sent a flurry of ice daggers towards her. Sailor Moon dropped to the ground just in time, feeling the _whoosh_ of air as the daggers narrowly missed her head, and instead collided with the tree behind her.

"Some people had plans with their boyfriend, which you're kinda ruining," she muttered under breath, picking herself up off the ground.

"Crescent Beam!" Venus' light beam hit the enemy, but it barely seemed to do any damage.

"Uh… Mercury?" Sailor Moon asked, looking up to find all the Senshi had arrived. "A little help here?"

"Working on it," the blue-haired Senshi said, already tapping away furiously at her mini computer.

The youma roared incomprehensibly, and sent a burst of ice daggers towards the clustered Senshi. They dove for cover, but one of the daggers impaled itself in Sailor Moon's calf, and another grazed Jupiter's shoulder.

"Sailor Moon!" Mamoru had managed to slip away and transform, and he ran over to Sailor Moon's side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said, wincing a little as she got up.

"It doesn't appear to have any obvious weakness," Mercury said. "Despite being an ice-based form, it's not susceptible to fire. I think our best bet is to just hit it strong and hard, continuously."

No sooner had the words left her mouth, when a wave of water crashed into the youma. Everyone looked at Mercury, but she looked just as puzzled as the rest of them.

"That wasn't me," she said. She frowned, and began calculating something else on her computer.

A graceful, feminine figure leapt off of a tree branch landing right next to the Senshi. She had shoulder-length turquoise hair, and she was wearing a uniform like the Senshi, but Sailor Moon had never seen her before.

"Leave this to us," she said coolly.

"World Shaking!" A ball of light slammed into the youma, and it howled in pain. Another person jumped down, landing next to the mysterious woman. The newcomer was also wearing what looked like a Sailor fuku, but again, she wasn't anyone Sailor Moon had ever seen before.

"Moon Scepter Elimination!" Sailor Moon called out, shaking herself out of her confused stupor. She had a job to do. The youma screamed one last time, and turned to a pile of dust. Slowly, the civilians which had been frozen started to thaw out, and the last remaining people in the park fled the scene.

"I said you should leave it to us!" the blue-haired girl snapped. "You shouldn't have interfered."

"I…" Sailor Moon trailed off. Who were these people? Were they Sailor Senshi, too? If so, why were they acting like this? Weren't the Senshi a team? And if they _weren't_ Sailor Senshi, then who the hell were they?

"We had it under control," the other girl, this one with short blonde hair, said. "Your meddling will only get in our way."

"I have a job to do," Sailor Moon said lamely.

"So do we," the blonde girl said. "You don't know what you're dealing with, so next time we tell you to get out of our way, do it."

"Well, well, well," a voice said.

The Senshi, plus the two newcomers, turned to look at the source of the voice. A red-headed man stood there, an upside-down black crescent moon on his forehead, and a smirk on his face.

"You may have defeated my droid," he said. "But make no mistake—that was just the tiniest taste of my powers. I will get what I've come for, and I will destroy you in the process. I will take everything you have ever loved, Sailor Moon, and take it from you. The Black Moon Clan never fails." With a bone-chilling laugh, he vanished into thin air.

"I told you, you have no idea what you're dealing with," the blonde girl said, shaking her head. "Go home." The two turned to walk away, leaving the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen standing there, very stunned.

"Who were they?" Mars asked. "And who was _that_ guy?"

"I have no idea," Sailor Moon whispered. She hated to admit it, but what if those girls were right? What if she was clueless? They seemed to know a lot more about the situation than she did. The second she contemplated it, Sailor Moon knew they were wrong. She might not know exactly what was going on, but she had defeated Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. She could handle this.

"Mercury, I want you to start researching," she said, her voice taking on an authoritative tone. "Of course, we also need to tell Luna and Artemis about this. I want to know who those two are, and who the Black Moon Clan is. I don't like being left in the dark."

Mercury nodded. "We should also take a look at your leg. Let's go back to the base, we can fill in Luna and Artemis there."

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><p>Back at their base underneath the Crown Arcade, Usagi filled Luna and Artemis in on the mysterious events of the day, while Ami bandaged her leg.<p>

"I don't like this," Luna said. "The Black Moon Clan… that name sounds so familiar to me for some reason. I'll see what my research has to say."

"I want to know who those two new Senshi were," Usagi said. "Were they even Senshi? And if they are Senshi, why were they so mean to us?"

"I wish I could help you," Artemis said. "But you girls are the only Senshi Luna and I know of. My memories of our past lives on the Moon are still a little fuzzy, but you girls are the only ones we were sent to awaken. If there are more Senshi, that's news to me."

Sighing, Usagi leaned back in her chair. She had so many questions, so many things she wish she knew the answer to. Trying to figure it all out was giving her a headache, so she rubbed her eyes, and tried to think of something else.

"Oh!" she cried, springing up from her chair. "I almost forgot, I told Mamoru I'd meet him once I was done here!"

"Careful with the leg," Ami called after Usagi as she ran up the stairs to the Arcade. "You shouldn't put too much weight on it."

Usagi ignored her, taking the stairs two at a time, eager to see Mamoru. Their date had been rudely interrupted, and she hoped they would be able to pick back up where they left off.

She quickly made her way through the Arcade, heading towards the exit. Luna had explained to her that there was a glamour concealing the entrance to their base, so no one would be able to detect it, or find it odd that Usagi was appearing from the back of the arcade.

Mamoru was waiting for her when she got outside, his hands in his pockets, and a slightly troubled look on his face. He didn't say anything, just nodded at her as she came up to him.

"Mamo-chan!" she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Can you walk with me for a minute?" he asked, disentangling himself from her.

"Sure," she said. "Is something going on?"

He didn't say anything, and Usagi bit her lip nervously. What could be making him act this way? But she didn't know what to say, so they walked in silence for several minutes, heading towards the park.

"Mamoru?" she asked again. "Is everything okay? You seem kind of… distant."

He sighed. "We need to talk about our relationship, Usagi."

"Okay…" she said, not sure where this was going. "What about it?"

"I just don't think it's working out between us," he said. "I think we should break up."

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry to leave you hanging like that… but I will do my best to update soon! (Psst- reviews help encourage me to update quickly!)<strong>


	2. The Breakup

**AN: And here's chapter 2! Sorry for the bit of the delay in update, things tend to get kind of crazy over the holidays. But now that Christmas and New Year's are all over, I should have more time to update, so hopefully the third chapter will be up soon!**

**Many thanks to my reviewers: Chas, Bin82501, and slightlyxjaded. For those of you who know me and have read my other fics, you know that 3 reviews is generally what I ask for. HOWEVER, I did get a lot of follows/favorites for the last chapter, and as nice as those are, reviews are even nicer.**

**So pretty please review? :)**

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><p>"What?" Usagi said, sure she had heard Mamoru wrong.<p>

"I think we need to break up," he said again.

"But…. why?" she said. "I don't understand."

"Look, it's just not working out between us, okay?" he snapped. "Can't we just leave it at that?"

"No, we can't leave it at that!" she said. "Is it something I did? Because I can change, I swear, if that's the problem. But I love you, Mamoru, please give me a second chance!"

Mamoru shook his head. "It's not that. It's just… we're incompatible. I gave this a relationship a try, but it won't work, because I just don't feel the same about you."

"But what about our past lives?" she said, trying to grasp onto something, anything. "What about Serenity and Endymion? We went through so much just to find each other again, you can't just abandon all that and say you never loved me!"

"I am not Endymion," he said, his voice low and harsh. "And you are not Serenity. I will not live my life based off of the actions and feelings of somebody else."

"Please, don't do this," she said, her voice barely a whisper and thick with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry, but it's over." With that, he strode away, leaving Usagi heartbroken on the sidewalk in front of the Arcade.

Suddenly aware of the aching pain in her injured leg, it took all she had not to collapse right there on the sidewalk. She knew that the Senshi were still at the base, and she could easily go back to them. But they were trying to conduct official Senshi business, and figure out who all the mysterious newcomers were. They didn't have time for her to cry about her personal drama. She had to be mature.

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><p>Usagi wandered aimlessly for awhile, not really going anywhere in particular. With each step her leg throbbed and her heart ached more and more, until it was unbearable. She collapsed into an old phone booth, not even caring that people could likely see her as she curled up into a ball and cried.<p>

She had been through so, so much since she was first told she was Sailor Moon. She had loved and lost more than she thought possible, she had matured from crybaby Usagi Tsukino into a warrior of love and justice, sworn to defend the Earth. She had fought, she had won and lost, she had even _died_.

But through it all, she had Mamoru. Even when she was constantly bickering with him, and complaining about him to her friends, he was there. Even when he was brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom, there was a part of her that clung onto him, and knew that he would return to her someday. Even when she had lost her memories of the past, there was a part of her that still recognized Mamoru.

But now… he had been taken from her before, but not like this. When she lost him last time, it was something she could fight, something she could fix. But how was she supposed to fix this when it wasn't brainwashing that took him from her, but his choice? The thought made her wrap her arms even more tightly around herself, as a sob wrenched itself from her throat.

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><p>After some time, Usagi wasn't sure how long, her communicator buzzed. She took in a shaky breath, trying to stop the tears for just a moment. She was tempted to just ignore it, but it was the communicator they used for official Senshi business, not her regular phone.<p>

"Hello?" she said, her voice falsely cheerful as she opened the communicator.

"We've got important information about the newcomers," a voice said. Rei. "Can you meet us at the base in five?"

"Sure," she said, trying to keep her voice from breaking.

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Are you okay?"

Usagi knew that if she talked about what happened, she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears. Even thinking about it made her want to shrivel up and die. The communicator was supposed to be used only for official Senshi business anyways, to make sure their covers weren't compromised.

"Fine," she said, despite the fact that she couldn't be further from fine. Now wasn't the time to discuss it. "I'll see you at the base." She hung up quickly, and gulped in a lungful of fresh air, trying to calm herself. After a moment, she felt stable enough to leave without falling apart again.

She walked towards the arcade slowly, trying to keep weight off her injured leg. It was taking her longer than five minutes, and she knew Rei would likely be mad, but she would just have to deal with it.

The arcade was crowded, but the glamour around the base kept anyone from noticing as Usagi walked towards the back room, and descended down a secret staircase.

"You're late!" Rei said the second Usagi set foot on the base floor. "If you couldn't make it here in five minutes, you should have said so, instead of keeping everyone waiting!"

"Sorry," she said, keeping her voice very carefully even. "You know me, I'm so bad with punctuality!" Rei looked at her funny, so she plastered on a fake grin.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rei said. "You sounded upset over the communicator…"

"I'm fine," she said, starting to feel like her face was about to split in two from the effort it took to keep the smile on her face. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Usagi… what's wrong?"

The look of concern on Rei's face, on everyone's faces, tipped her over the edge, and she couldn't stop the tears. "Mamoru broke up with me," she managed to choke out.

"He what?" Rei said.

"That bastard!" Makoto cracked her knuckles threateningly.

"He said he didn't love me," she said, now full-on sobbing. "I don't understand!"

"I'm so sorry, Usagi," Luna said, her voice kind. "I know he meant a lot to you."

"I don't get it," she said again. "Just earlier today we were on a date, and everything was perfect. How can someone go from loving to cold that quickly?"

"Maybe he's been brainwashed again," Makoto suggested, but Usagi shook her head.

"It didn't feel like that," she said. "I would have known if it wasn't really him. But I just wish I understood _why_… I thought Mamoru was the one constant in my life."

"Hey, we're a constant," Minako said. "I know it's not the same, but we're here for you. We always will be." The other girls nodded their assent.

"Thank you," Usagi said, the ghost of a real smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. Sniffling, she wiped away the tears. "Now what was it you wanted to talk about? You have information?"

"It can wait," Luna said. "For now, you should rest. It's been a hard day."

"Come on, I'll buy you a milkshake," Minako said, and she lead Usagi upstairs to the arcade. "Good thing Luna and Artemis built the base under the arcade, huh? Now we barely have to move at all to get Motoki's quality milkshakes."

Usagi smiled a little, and let Minako lead her upstairs. She was still heartbroken, but having her friends there made it so much easier.

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><p>Minako and Usagi sat down at the counter, and ordered two double-chocolate malt milkshakes. Usagi wished she could talk to Motoki, but she couldn't exactly tell him she and Mamoru broke up when he had no idea they were dating in the first place.<p>

Still, he could clearly tell something was wrong, as his brows furrowed together in concern when he saw Usagi. She knew she probably looked like a mess, and her face was likely stained with tears, but she was grateful to Motoki for not pressing the issue. She wasn't sure how she'd explain it if he asked.

He returned a couple moments later with their milkshakes, extra whipped cream on Usagi's. Minako dug into her purse to find the money, but Motoki held up a hand.

"It's on the house," he said. "You look like you need chocolate milkshakes more than I need the money."

Usagi smiled in gratitude, and took a sip of her milkshake. It was creamy and chocolate-y and delicious, frosty cold and sugary sweet, just the way it should be. Motoki made the best milkshakes.

Minako tried to keep her mind off of Mamoru and the break up by making up stories about the people they saw at the arcade.

"Ooh, see that guy over there with the dorky glasses?" she said, jerking her head in the direction of a young man who sat in a booth, his head bent over a comic book. "He's secretly studying to be a rocket scientist. He has a book on physics hidden behind that comic book, that's what he's actually reading."

Usagi giggled. "Why is he at the arcade, then?"

"Well, duh, 'cause even rocket scientists in training need milkshakes," Minako said. "But he didn't want to stick out like a sore pinky, so he's undercover, pretending to be a typical nerd."

"I think that's sore thumb."

"Whatever," Minako waved off the correction. "The point still stands."

Usagi smiled, and after a moment she spoke. "Thank you."

Minako's gaze softened. "Of course. And I know this isn't much consolation, but… if he can't appreciate you, if he can't realize what he has… then he doesn't deserve you. And you'll find somebody better."

Usagi sighed, staring down into her milkshake glass. She wished that Minako were right. She wished that she could find somebody else, but she knew that she would never stop loving Mamoru.

"Ooh, look, the new racing game is empty!" Minako said. "Come on, I'll race you."

She dragged Usagi over to the two-player racing game. It had arrived recently, and was very popular, so there was usually a line of people waiting to play, but not today.

Usagi sat down in the chair, selected a sporty blue car, and pushed play. She had to admit that in spite of herself, she was having a lot of fun. The feelings of heartbreak and despair were still there, right beneath the surface, waiting to be unearthed. But for right now she was… happy.

As she and Minako raced each other, each one trying desperately to pass the other, she even laughed a little. When she beat Minako, coming in 5th place to Minako's 7th, she even did a little victory gloat.

"5th place," a voice said from behind her. "Not bad, Odango."

Usagi whirled around in her seat and found a tall, handsome man standing behind her. He was wearing the uniform of the private high school, so he clearly wasn't _too_ much older than her, but he looked very grownup.

"Are you making fun of me?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Not at all," he said. "It's a hard game. Of course, I can do better, but I can do better than everyone."

"Oh yeah?" Usagi said, feeling bold all of a sudden. "I bet you're all talk."

"I'll race you, if your friend doesn't mind," he said, nodding towards Minako.

"Not at all," Minako said, sliding out of the seat and elbowing Usagi in the ribs with a very meaningful look.

He put a couple of coins into the machine, and selected his car. "You think I'm all talk? Watch this." The game started, and he turned to smirk at Usagi, expertly maneuvering his car even when he wasn't looking at the screen.

Usagi slammed down on the accelerator pedal, wildly clutching at the steering wheel to avoid crashing, but over-corrected on a turn, and her car skidded off the road. Meanwhile, the handsome stranger was in 1st place, way ahead of anyone else. His car sped along with elegance and power that Usagi didn't even know was possible. She stared at his screen, her mouth agape, before she realized that everyone was passing her, and she had slipped into 8th place, the lowest spot.

She shook herself out of her daze, and managed to slide into 7th place right at the very end, but the stranger had already finished in first, and was looking at her with amusement.

"See?" he said. "I told you I'm unbeatable, Odango."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" she said irritably. It reminded her too much of Mamoru.

"I like your hairstyle," he said. "It's cute. _You're_ cute." He slid a little closer to her, his smile broadening.

"I have a boyfriend," she blurted out, averting her eyes from this mysterious, handsome stranger. _Not anymore_, a voice in the back of her head said. _Mamoru broke up with you, remember?_

"So?" he said.

Usagi wasn't sure what to say to that, but she was saved by the appearance of a girl, wearing the same high school uniform.

"Are you bothering the cute girls again, Haruka?" she said with a shake of her head. "Whatever am I supposed to do with you?"

"Are you his girlfriend?" Usagi asked, suddenly concerned that the girl might take this situation the wrong way. As handsome as the man was, she was still hung up over Mamoru, and she didn't want to create any unnecessary drama.

The girl's eyebrows rose and the corner of her mouth twitched. "_His_ girlfriend? I suppose you could say that." Usagi looked, confused, between the two.

The man smiled again, and extended a hand towards Usagi. "Haruka Tenoh, and yes, this here is my girlfriend, Michiru Kaiou. But I'm not a he."

The implication of his—_her_—words sunk in, and Usagi blushed. She felt very embarrassed for having gotten it wrong, and was about to apologize, when Michiru laughed.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "You're not the first to think Haruka's male. She lets all the cute girls think that."

Usagi blushed again, but managed to collect herself. "I'm Usagi Tsukino. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"We have to go," Haruka said. "See you around, Odango." She ruffled Usagi's hair as she got up and left with Michiru.

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><p>That night, Usagi lay in her bed, trying to sleep, but no sleep would come. She just didn't understand it—why did Mamoru break up with her? Was she too clingy, too annoying, too immature, too something?<p>

She couldn't just believe that he didn't love her, and that he never did, that his memories of Endymion didn't mean anything to him. Because if it were true, if he didn't have any feelings for her… she shivered, despite the warm air coming in through her open window.

He was everything to her. And she hated how boy-crazy and desperate that sounded, because she was more than a lovesick schoolgirl. She was Sailor Moon, dammit, and she wasn't defined by her love for Mamoru. And yet… in a way she was. She would die for him in an instant. She _had_ died for him in their past lives.

They were Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon, Usagi and Mamoru. They had a love that spanned lifetimes, a love that survived death and rebirth twice, a love that survived forgotten memories and brainwashing.

How could they break up now? How could he break up with her after all they had been through together? How could he do this to her, to them?

She turned over in her bed, wiping away the tears. She wished she could be stronger. She wished she could stop her heart from breaking, but she couldn't do anything but cry.

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><p>"<em>Die, Sailor Moon." He dropped the black rose on the ground in front of her, and a second later the thorny vines wrapped around her.<em>

_She screamed as the dark energy coursed through her body, but he just stood there. She looked at him, her blue eyes pleading, but he stood there, completely unaffected by her pleas or her cries of pain. She screamed again, the sound echoing in his ears, drowning him, but he felt nothing. She was the enemy. She deserved to die._

Mamoru woke with a gasp, and ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying to pull himself together. The images kept flashing in front of his eyes, and he could barely stand it. The look on her face, as he told her he was breaking up with her. The look on her face as he tortured her. No matter whether his eyes were open or closed, all he could see was Usagi in pain. When he was asleep, he saw himself killing her. When he was awake, he saw himself breaking her heart.

He had lied, of course, when he said he didn't love her. He loved her more than he had ever loved anyone, more than he thought possible for a little orphan boy who lost his parents. Ever since the accident, he had shut people out, kept people at arms length, even been downright cold. But Usagi… she had changed all that.

The last thing he wanted to do was break up with her, but if he didn't, he feared the consequences would be much more than a broken heart. Ever since his memories had returned, he'd been haunted with nightmares.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. He was haunted by memories, and that made it so much worse. Every night he saw himself as Endymion of the Dark Kingdom, kicking, strangling, torturing Usagi. But it wasn't just seeing himself doing it, as if he were a neutral third party—he _felt_ himself doing it.

He remembered the way it felt to wrap his hands around her neck, and choke the life out of her. He remembered the way it felt to swing his sword with deadly precision, his only goal to kill Sailor Moon. He remembered the way it felt to feel nothing at all as she screamed and cried and begged him to remember who he was.

At first, he had thought he could move past it. Maybe, over time, the memories would fade, and so would his guilt. But with the new enemy… he knew that his relationship with Usagi put her in danger. The enemy had used him once before to hurt her, and he had nearly killed her. Her love for him was a weakness, one that he couldn't allow.

It was better than they both be heartbroken and she live. He could barely live with himself as it was, and if he ever hurt her again… he couldn't bring himself to finish that thought. It was better this way. He kept telling himself that, but it didn't change the way he felt. It didn't mend his broken heart.

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><p>Early the next day, Usagi sat on the docks, swinging her feet over the edge. Mamoru was going to take her out in a boat on the lake for her birthday, and then they were going to have a romantic picnic in the park.<p>

Scowling, Usagi pushed the thought aside. She had come out here to try and gather her thoughts and process her emotions, not to mope. A flash of something caught her eye, and she looked up, squinting.

A little girl was careening through the sky, and she landed right on Usagi, knocking her over. The girl immediately scrambled off of Usagi's lap, and looked at her distrustfully.

"Who are you?" she said.

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><p><strong>AN: Review… OR ELSE. Yeah, or else! Doesn't that scare you into reviewing? :)<strong>


	3. The New Senshi Revealed

**AN: Yay for relatively quick updates! I'll try and get the next chapter up quicker, though. It depends entirely on how quickly I manage to update my other Sailor Moon story, A Life Once Forgotten (which- bit of shameless self promotion here- you guys should totally read), as I alternate.**

**Anyways, many, many thanks to my reviewers: slightlyxjaded, ****usagi-chibiusa, and maryyorke. Please please please review! Reviews mean everything to me, I love hearing from my readers. I also really appreciate constructive criticism, so don't feel you have to say you love it if there's something you don't like. It helps me make the story better! **

**Now, on to chapter 3!**

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><p>Usagi stared in shock at the girl who had just fallen from the sky. Who was she? Where had she come from? Was she related to the enemy?<p>

"I said, who are you?" the girl asked impatiently.

"I could ask you the same thing," Usagi said gently. She wasn't sure who this girl was, but she didn't seem like the enemy. "My name is Usagi. Usagi Tsukino. What's your name?"

"I'm Usagi, too," she said.

"Well, how about we call you Chibiusa, to avoid confusion? Would that be okay?" Something about the little girl made Usagi want to protect her; it awakened some instinct deep inside of her that she didn't even realize she had.

"Okay," the girl said a little shyly. "I like Chibiusa." After a second, her eyes widened. "Wait… did you say you're Usagi Tsukino?"

"Yes… why?"

The child, Chibiusa, flung herself at Usagi, and started to cry. "You have to help me! You're the only one who _can_ help me!"

"Okay, okay, calm down," Usagi said, gently prying Chibiusa's arms from around her waist. "I can help you, but you need to tell me what the problem is. And why am I the only person who can help you?"

"Puu said that I had to find Sailor Moon, and that Usagi Tsukino would know how to do that, she said that you would be able to help me," the girl sniffed. "My mama's been hurt, and I have to save her! I need the Silver Crystal, if I don't get it, then I won't be able to save my mama, and I won't be able to go back home!"

The Silver Crystal? Sailor Moon? How did she know about these things? Who _was_ this girl?

"I don't think I understand," Usagi said. "Who's Puu? What happened to your mama? Where is she now?"

"Puu's my best friend," Chibiusa said. "My mama was hurt protecting everyone. There was an attack on the Crystal Palace, and my mama was hurt, and only the Silver Crystal can save her."

"The Crystal Palace? Where is that?"

"Crystal Tokyo, of course," Chibiusa said. "The 30th century, where I'm from. The Crystal Palace is my home."

"The 30th century?" Usagi said, shocked. Chibiusa nodded, sniffing and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Okay…" Usagi let out a breath. Clearly, this was not just some easily fixed problem. She had a child from the 30th century who had nowhere to go, and needed the help of Sailor Moon and the Silver Crystal.

"So… will you help me?"

"Of course I'll help you," Usagi said. "Come on, I need to talk to my friends about something, and you can come with me. We'll meet at the local arcade and you can get a milkshake, okay?"

"Okay," she said, brightening up a little. She grabbed Usagi's hand as she got to her feet, and the two of them set off towards the Crown Arcade.

* * *

><p>"The 30th century?" Luna said. "She said that she was from the 30th century? This is quite complicated indeed…"<p>

Usagi had called an emergency Senshi meeting, and they were all gathered at the base underneath the Crown Arcade. Chibiusa was upstairs, milkshake in hand, and Motoki had promised he'd look after her.

"I just don't know what to do," Usagi said. "We have to help her, but how? I'm not about to hand over the Silver Crystal, and she made it sound like the only way her mother could be saved is with the help of the Silver Crystal."

"How do we know she's not the enemy?" Rei said. Everyone turned to look at her, and she shrugged. "Hey, I'm just saying! It seems a little weird that right after this new enemy appears, a mysterious girl we know nothing about shows up, needing the Silver Crystal. It seems a little fishy."

"She's six, Rei," Usagi said. "A very confused and lost six year old. Somehow, she doesn't strike me as enemy material."

Rei put her hands up. "I just thought it was something worth considering."

"No… I think Usagi's right," Luna said. "Usagi, remember yesterday when I told you I'd discovered information on the enemy? I was looking into the name 'Black Moon Clan', as it sounded vaguely familiar. The Black Moon Clan members are magic-wielders from a planet called Nemesis, originating in the 30th century."

Everyone gaped at Luna. "So, the attack that Chibiusa described… do you think it was the Black Moon Clan?" Makoto asked.

"Yes, I do," Luna said. "And it also may mean they're after her."

"We'll protect her," Usagi said fiercely.

"I know," Luna said. "But… be careful. There's still so much we don't know about the Black Moon Clan, or the two mysterious Senshi—if they are indeed Senshi—who showed up. Artemis and I will see what we can find, but you girls be careful out there."

The five Senshi nodded their heads. Although they never talked about it, their deaths had greatly affected them. All of them. It wasn't just the Senshi, Luna and Artemis had been affected, too. Despite the fact that Queen Beryl was dead, and the Dark Kingdom long gone, she was still a presence in their minds as their deaths at her hands hung over their heads.

* * *

><p>After the meeting was over, Usagi and the other girls went upstairs to check on Chibiusa. She was sitting at the counter, an empty milkshake glass beside her, as she drew on a piece of paper with some crayons.<p>

"I managed to rummage up some art supplies to keep her occupied," Motoki said. Looking over at Chibiusa, he quieted his voice. "Who is she?"

"She's…" Usagi trailed off, looking at the other Senshi nervously, but they looked just as panicked. What cover story could they come up with for Chibiusa?

"She's the daughter of a family friend," Usagi said after a moment. That didn't seem like enough, so she added, "Her parents were in an accident, so… she's been through a lot." That at least was close to the truth. From what Chibiusa had said, her parents were in trouble—or at least her mother was. And despite the bravado she showed, Usagi could tell that she had been through a lot, and it was wearing on her.

Motoki nodded solemnly. "Well, she seems to be in good hands."

'Thank you," Usagi said with a small smile. A customer showed up, and Motoki excused himself to go help.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Where was Chibiusa going to stay? She couldn't exactly tell her parents that Chibiusa was the daughter of a family friend who needed a place to stay; they'd know she wasn't. She needed to think of some explanation.

"Is something wrong?" Rei asked.

"Where is Chibiusa going to stay?" she said. "I can't tell my parents what I told Motoki… I'd like to keep her nearby, but I don't know how to convince my parents."

"Hmm… that is a dilemma," Makoto said with a frown.

"Rei, is there any way she could stay with you?" Usagi asked. "Just for a little while, until I figure out some way to convince my parents? The shrine is one of the safest places she could be."

"I…" Rei trailed off. "I don't know…"

"I can look after her," a voice said from behind.

Usagi froze. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. Slowly, she turned around, forcing a polite smile onto her face. "Mamoru-san. That's very generous of you to offer."

"It's no problem," he said. "I'm more than happy to help out."

Chibiusa had abandoned her drawing, and had drifted over to listen to the conversation. "Who's this?"

"This is… my friend," Usagi said. "Would you be okay staying with him for a couple days?"

"Why can't I stay with you?" she asked.

"You can," Usagi said. "Soon. I just need to check with my parents first. They can't know about where you're from… they wouldn't handle it very well, knowing you're from the 30th century. So I need to find an alternate explanation, okay? And then you can come stay with me."

"Okay," she said. She looked warily at Mamoru, but then stuck out her hand. "I'm Usagi. Chibiusa."

Mamoru smiled, and bent down to grab her hand. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Chibiusa. My name is Mamoru."

"I have to go now," Usagi said. "But I'll see you again soon, okay?"

"Okay," Chibiusa said, and nodded.

Before she could second-guess herself, Usagi leaned down, brushed aside Chibiusa's bangs and gave her a kiss on the forehead. It was odd, really… she wasn't normally like this. But there was something about Chibiusa that stirred up very protective, almost maternal, feelings inside Usagi.

* * *

><p>Usagi walked back to her house slowly, trying to process all that had happened. In the space of 24 hours, a new enemy had appeared, two mysterious and hostile new Senshi showed up, Mamoru had broken up with her, and now she'd ended up caring for a child from the 30th century.<p>

How had her life gotten upended so quickly? It was like the ground had been ripped out from beneath her feet, and suddenly she didn't know how to stand without falling. The things in her life that she thought were constants—her and Mamoru's relationship, knowing she was one of five powerful Senshi—were suddenly being challenged.

Shaking her head, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She had to be strong. Mature. There was a new enemy to fight, and she had to keep Chibiusa safe. She wasn't the same girl she had been a year ago, when she first discovered her identity as Sailor Moon. Not even close. She was stronger than that now, and she would hold herself together.

Usagi was so lost in her thoughts, that she almost didn't notice the youma until it was too late. It was giant and snake-like, and it was nearly upon her. She quickly darted to the side, but it was faster, and it sunk its teeth into her side.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she elbowed it in the eye, hard, hoping it would give her a chance to break away and transform. It was successful, as the youma released its teeth from her side as it howled in pain.

She ran off behind a tree, clutching her wounded side, as she pulled out her communicator.

"Guys, there's a youma downtown," she said. "Only a few blocks from the arcade."

"We'll be there in a minute," Ami promised. "Can you hold it off until we get there?"

"Yeah," Usagi said, wincing. She pulled her hand away from her side, and it came back sticky and bright with her blood. The youma had gotten her pretty deep.

But there was no time to think about that now. The youma would attack again any minute, and she had to be prepared.

"Moon Prism Power!" she called out her transformation phrase, and felt the power wash over her. The pain in her side diminished to a dull throb, and she ran out, ready to tackle the youma. She wouldn't be able to dust it now, it was still too strong. But she should be able to do some damage with her tiara anyways.

"Moon Tiara Action!" she sent the tiara flying, and it wrapped itself around the youma's body. The youma made a hissing noise, but easily shrugged the tiara off.

Sailor Moon swore. That hadn't done nearly as much damage as she'd hoped. She was just about to try her scepter, when a ball of light slammed into it.

Looking around, she found the two other Senshi standing there.

"Go now," the teal-haired one said. "We can handle it from here."

"No," she said. She wasn't leaving. This was _her_ city, _her_ fight, and if they wanted her to leave, they had better give her some answers.

"No?" the teal-haired Senshi said again, cocking an eyebrow. "Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into?"

"I know enough," she said. "I know that I've fought off countless youma before. I know that I defeated Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. I know that this is a youma belonging to the Black Moon Clan, a group of magic users from the 30th century.

"I know that I have defended this city for the past year, and I know that through it all, I have never seen a glimpse of either of you, nor have I heard of two additional Senshi, if that is indeed what you are. So if you want me to leave, you better tell me who the hell you are, and give me a damn good reason why I should abandon this fight."

The two Senshi looked at each other, as Sailor Moon breathed heavily, the words having come out in a rush. She hadn't intended to go off like that, but her frustration at the trials of the past day had made her angry and confused, and she wasn't about to let two strangers push her around.

Before anyone had a chance to respond, the youma lashed out with its tail, nearly knocking the blonde Senshi off her feet. She snarled, and attacked.

"World Shaking!"

Sailor Moon watched as a ball of light came from the Senshi's hands, and hit the youma. She had to admit, much as she didn't like these two newcomers, they were quite powerful. But she was, too, and she wouldn't let them keep her out of this.

"Moon Scepter Elimination!" she called out, and this finally did the trick, as the youma crumbled to dust. She looked at the other Senshi, daring them to reprimand her again for going against their orders to leave.

"I'm Sailor Uranus," the blonde Senshi said after a moment. She jerked her head towards her companion. "This is Sailor Neptune."

"So… you are Sailor Senshi, then?" Sailor Moon asked.

The teal-haired Senshi, Sailor Neptune, nodded. "Yes. We are Sailor Senshi, like you are, Sailor Moon."

"Why haven't I heard of you?" she said. "Why are you so determined to keep me from fighting? If you're Sailor Senshi, shouldn't you be fighting by our side?"

Sailor Uranus shook her head. "This fight doesn't concern you."

"Like hell," Sailor Moon spat out. "This is my city, and I'm sworn to protect it. I'd say it concerns me."

"You don't know what you're dealing with," Neptune said. "Uranus and I have been training for this for many years, we have dedicated our lives to this fight. We have made many sacrifices, and we are uniquely equipped to fight this battle."

"And I'm not?" Sailor Moon said. "What, do you think I defeated Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom by sitting around and twiddling my thumbs all day long? You have no idea the sacrifices I've made, or how hard I'm trained, so don't you dare lecture me about that."

Uranus shook her head in frustration. "You just don't get it. If you keep interfering, you'll only get people hurt. Leave the fighting to people who know what they're doing."

"Look around you!" she shouted, spreading her arms wide. "People are already hurt. Almost every single day, a youma attacks, and people get hurt. _That _is what I'm fighting to prevent, and there's no way you're going to convince me to stay away when innocent lives are on the line."

The two new Senshi were silent. Sailor Moon turned to leave, but she stopped, and turned around.

"If you're so powerful, if you think you're so much better than me," she started to say, "Then tell me this: where were you last year, when the Dark Kingdom nearly succeeded in taking over the Earth? Where were you when I sacrificed _everything_ to defeat Queen Beryl and prevent her takeover of Earth? If I don't know what I'm doing, why is that _I_ am the one who prevented the apocalypse, while you two were nowhere to be found?"

Sailor Neptune and Uranus looked at each other, but didn't say anything.

"Yeah," Sailor Moon said, her anger gone, leaving her exhausted. "That's kind of what I thought."

"Sailor Moon!" Venus ran towards them, the other Senshi close behind. "Sorry it took us so long, there was another youma attack on the way here." Pausing, she looked around. "Uh… where's the youma? And what are they doing here?"

"The youma's gone," she said, her voice tense. "I dusted it. And now I'm going home."

"But…" Mercury tried to say, glancing at her wounded side.

"I'll take care of my injury," she said. "I'll be fine."

With one last look at Neptune and Uranus, she shook her head, and walked off.

* * *

><p>A short time later, after having de-transformed, Usagi arrived at her house. She climbed the steps two at a time, eager to be in the safety and comforts of her home. Now that she was back in civilian form, her wounded side was much more painful.<p>

Sighing, she quickly snuck upstairs to take care of it before anyone noticed. She barricaded herself in the bathroom, and peeled off her bloodied shirt. It was doubtful she'd be able to get the blood out, but she had to try. She was out of excuses for why her school clothes kept on ending up bloodied and torn, and she was worried her mother might get suspicious.

Usagi reached into the medicine cabinet, and pulled out the bandages. Wincing, she wished she had let Ami tend to her wound after all. She knew basic first aid care, of course, all the Senshi had learned it. But Ami was better than anyone at dressing wounds.

She tossed her shirt into the sink, rinsing the blood out as best she could. There was still a noticeable stain; she'd have to bleach it. She tossed it into the laundry basket, so she wouldn't forget, and went to her room to grab a clean shirt.

After she was dressed, she sunk onto her bed, and grabbed one of her favorite comic books. She tried to focus, but her mind was racing a million miles per minute. So, the newcomers were indeed Sailor Senshi. But why were they so determined to keep her from fighting? Was it really just because they thought they were superior? Or was there something else going on?

Usagi rubbed her eyes. None of it made any sense. And the Black Moon Clan… what did they want? Were they after Chibiusa, like Luna suspected? So far, aside from random youma attacks and a vaguely threatening message from one of their henchmen, they hadn't done much. Certainly not enough to indicate what it was they wanted. She was still mulling over all these new developments, when her door opened.

"Usagi," Ikuko said, her voice tight and strained. She was holding up Usagi's bloodied shirt. "Would you care to explain what this is, and why it's in the laundry basket?

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><p><strong>AN: Ooops, another cliffie… I don't usually end all my chapters with cliffhangers, I swear! It's just… kinda happened. Anyways, please leave a review with any thoughtscomments about the story. :) Reviews make the world go 'round!**


	4. The Black Moon Clan

**AN: Another relatively quick update! I don't want to curse it, but this story has practically been writing itself, so assuming the next chapter of A Life Once Forgotten goes as planned (and that should be easy to write, too) I should have chapter 5 of this story up in no time! For now, here's a slightly longer than usual chapter. :)**

**As always, many thanks to my amazing reviewers: , lilymoon80, Bin82501, maryyorke, and slightlyxjaded. I asked for more reviews, and lo and behold, I got them! You guys rock.**

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><p>Usagi stared in shock at the bloodied shirt in her mother's hand. She had never expected her mother to find it, she thought she would be able to bleach it or throw it away before her mother ever found out. "It's not what it looks like."<p>

"Really?" Ikuko said, her voice shaking. "So would you like to explain what it is? Because it looks like there's a lot of blood on my daughter's shirt, but surely she would have no reason to get so injured, right?"

"Blood?" Usagi forced out a little chuckle. "Don't be so melodramatic, mama. It's just… some dirt stains. I was goofing around, and slipped on a patch of mud."

"Don't lie to me, Usagi," Ikuko said, her voice low and harsh. "Because it's not just the shirt. Why is it that all of a sudden strange memories are coming back to me? I remember you sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night, and coming back bruised and bloodied. And… I remember a conversation we had. So what the hell is going on?"

Usagi shook her head. "If you remember that conversation, then you already know, don't you?" She had hoped that her mother would never regain the memory of the night when she finally told her the truth about who she was. She had hoped that maybe this time she could hide it better, and they could have a normal mother-daughter relationship.

And yet… at the same time, she was relieved. When she had finally told her mother the truth, it was a relief to know that she didn't have to hide it anymore.

"No," Ikuko said firmly. "That is not a possibility."

"Mama…" Usagi broke off, wearily. Her mother had resisted the truth back then, too. She winced, slightly, remembering the last words her mother had said to her before she went off to face Queen Beryl and certain death: "If you leave this house, don't even think about ever coming back!"

"How?" Ikuko said, her voice breaking. "How is it possible? Are… are you really Sailor Moon?"

"I am," Usagi said. "And it's not something I can change."

"But that can't be possible…" Ikuko trailed off, her voice barely a whisper, as she thought it over, and Usagi knew the pieces of the puzzle were adding up in her mind.

Usagi's mysterious disappearances, her injuries, her sudden maturity combined with the burden of responsibility… and most of all, the night when a youma had attacked their home, and Usagi had disappeared right when Sailor Moon showed up. It all made sense.

"Mama…" Usagi bit her lip. She had an idea on how to solve one of her current problems, but she didn't want to push her mother too far. "I know this is hardly the time to ask for a favor, but… there's a little girl who needs my help. She's very far away from home, and we think the enemy might be targeting her. She needs a place to stay, and well… she'd be safest with me. With us."

Ikuko rubbed her eyes, and didn't say anything. When she finally spoke, her voice was weary. "What am I supposed to tell your father and brother?"

"I don't know," Usagi said. "Think of something? You could say she's the daughter of… an old high school friend of yours. And her parents were in an accident, and she needs a place to stay." It was the same story she'd used on Motoki, which would make things easier.

"Okay," Ikuko said. "I guess I can't say no to Sailor Moon." She chuckled bleakly to herself and left the room. She paused briefly at the doorway, as if she was going to say something else, but she shook her head and walked out.

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><p>The tension in the house was too much for her, so Usagi decided to take a walk in the park to clear her head. After such a long time of relative peace and stability, all these new changes were happening so quickly, and it made her head hurt. The mental list of all the crazy things happening in her life just got a little longer, with the addition of her mother knowing her true identity.<p>

Would Ikuko tell Kenji and Shingo? Usagi doubted it, but she wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure if she wanted her father and brother to know or not. Of course, she knew that the less people who were aware that she was Sailor Moon, the better, because there was less of a chance the enemy could find out. And it wasn't just for her sake.

If the enemy discovered her identity, they wouldn't hesitate to use her friends and family to hurt her. Jadeite had tried in the past, and he had nearly succeeded. If her family were to be killed because of her… it would break her. Which was why it was best that Kenji and Shingo never know. It was bad enough that Ikuko knew.

"Yo! Odango!"

Usagi heard the voice, and for a split second, she thought of Mamoru. But of course it wasn't him. It didn't sound like his voice, and he hadn't called her Odango in ages, anyways. Now, he always called her Usako. Or at least, he used to. Her heart twinged painfully, and she shoved the memory away.

Indeed, jogging up to her was not Mamoru, but Haruka. Michiru was following close behind.

"Haruka-san," Usagi said, smiling. "Michiru-san. What brings you here?"

"Enjoying the beautiful day of course!" Haruka said with a grin, as she slung her arm around Usagi's shoulders. "What's a pretty girl like you doing out here by herself?"

Michiru sighed and rolled her eyes at Haruka's blatant flirting with Usagi.

"Um, I was just out here to clear my head," she said, shrugging off Haruka's arm. She liked Haruka, and Michiru seemed nice, too, but she was worried that the teal-haired girl might get the wrong idea.

Michiru smiled. "We were just about to go grab a bite to eat at the Crown Arcade and Fruit Parlor. Would you care to join us?"

Before Usagi had a chance to respond, she heard her name being called. Looking over, she saw Chibiusa running towards her, with Mamoru jogging to keep up with her.

"Hi," Usagi said with a smile as Chibiusa flung her arms around her waist. "What have you been up to since I left?"

"Mamoru bought me dumplings from the stand over there," the little girl said excitedly, pointing to a cart further along the path.

"I'm glad you're having fun," she said. Mamoru walked up beside Chibiusa, and Usagi stiffened. "Thank you for looking after her, Mamoru-san."

"Of course," he said, equally stiff. "It was my pleasure."

"And who would this be?" Michiru asked, smiling at Chibiusa.

"My name's Usagi," Chibiusa said, before Usagi could introduce her. "Chibiusa for short. Who are you?"

Usagi chuckled. She was glad the girl was becoming a little less shy, but her manners could use some work. Luckily, Michiru didn't seem to mind the slightly rude question.

"My name is Michiru Kaio," she said.

Haruka eyed Mamoru suspiciously. "I don't believe we've been introduced. Haruka Tenoh. And you are?"

"Mamoru Chiba," he said. "How do you know Usagi-san?"

"Oh, we go way back, " Haruka said with a grin, slinging her arm around Mamoru's shoulders again. "How do you know her?"

"Usagi-san is…" Mamoru trailed off, his lips drawn together. "… an old friend."

"Really?" Haruka drawled. "Must not be very close."

Mamoru opened his mouth to say something, but Usagi interrupted. "Actually, it was so nice running into you Haruka-san, Michiru-san, but I'm afraid I really should be going." She turned to Chibiusa. "I'm still working out some details, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Do you need a ride anywhere?" Michiru asked.

"Actually, yes," Usagi said. "A ride would be wonderful. Would it be too inconvenient for you to drop me off at the Hikawa Shrine?"

"Of course not," Michiru said, and then crouched so she was eye level with Chibiusa. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Chibiusa, and I hope we meet again soon."

The little girl smiled and nodded, but clung on to the leg of Mamoru's pants. Like with earlier in the arcade, Usagi bent down and quickly brushed a kiss on the girl's forehead, before she had the chance to second-guess herself.

* * *

><p>"So, who's that Mamoru Chiba guy?" Haruka asked when they were in the car.<p>

"He's my boy—" she started to automatically say, before she stopped to correct herself. "He's my ex-boyfriend."

"Ah, so that explains it," Michiru said. "I could tell there was a lot of tension between you two, you didn't seem like old friends."

"Yeah…" Usagi trailed off, looking out the window. "I guess we're not. I thought we were, but…" she shook her head sadly, not sure what else there was to say.

"So, does that mean you're single?" Haruka said, turning around with a wink. "I seem to recall you saying you had a boyfriend when we met at the Arcade."

Usagi gave a half-hearted smile. "He'd just broken up with me. I guess it hadn't really sunk in yet."

"Men," Haruka said with disgust. "You should just forget about them all together."

Usagi laughed, a genuine laugh that surprised her. She barely knew Haruka or Michiru, and yet there was something about them that made her feel at ease, as if she could talk to them about anything.

"Well, you seem like a lovely girl, Usagi, so I'm sure you'll find someone else," Michiru said, giving Usagi a warm smile. "And if he couldn't appreciate what he had, then perhaps he doesn't deserve you."

"Thank you," Usagi said. She appreciated their kindness, she really did. But the problem was she didn't _want_ to find someone else. All she had ever wanted was Mamoru. A part of her felt silly for feeling that way, as she was just a fourteen-year-old girl, and it was hardly expected of her to be with her boyfriend forever.

Most girls her age, if they had a boyfriend, would likely only date him for a few months, maybe a year, before breaking up and finding someone new.

But she and Mamoru were different. They had loved each other in their past lives, and once they found each other in this life, she had never doubted that they would be together forever. She couldn't imagine herself with anyone other than Mamoru. Which was why this breakup just didn't make any _sense_. She had been so sure Mamoru felt the same way.

"Usagi?" Michiru said, and Usagi realized she'd zoned out.

"Oh, sorry!" she said. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking about Chibiusa," Michiru said. "She seems like a lovely girl. Is she a relative of yours? A sister, perhaps?"

Usagi shook her head. "No, Chibiusa is the daughter of a close family friend. Her parents were in an accident, so she's staying with my family for a little while." She'd said the lie so many times by now that it almost sounded convincing.

"How unfortunate!" Michiru remarked. "But she seems to be in good hands."

"Thank you," Usagi said. "She's been through a lot… but she still remains positive. It's nice to have her staying with me." She smiled to herself, thinking about how true it was. She hadn't even known the girl for a full day yet, but there was something about her that made Usagi feel… calmer. More stable. Maybe it was just having a responsibility outside being Sailor Moon helped take her mind off the breakup, but she genuinely enjoyed having Chibiusa in her life.

"Well, here you are," Haruka said, pulling up outside of the Hikawa Shrine.

"Thank you so much for the ride," Usagi said, getting out of the car, and bowing slightly to show her thanks.

"No problem," Haruka said. "Take care of yourself, Odango."

Haruka and Michiru watched as Usagi walked up the main building of the shrine, and entered, disappearing from sight.

"There's something strange about that girl," Haruka said.

Michiru nodded. "The seas are stormy and wild. There is definitely something about her, and I sensed something similar around that little girl, Chibiusa."

"Do you think…" Haruka trailed off. "Do you think she could be the one we've been looking for?"

"Perhaps," Michiru said. After so long searching, it was tempting to believe they'd found her. "But we know very little about her. The only way to find out is to continue to befriend her and gain her trust."

Haruka nodded, looking at the shrine that Usagi had disappeared into. She could only hope…

* * *

><p>Mamoru watched Usagi leave the park with a frown. He didn't like the looks of Haruka Tenoh. He seemed far too possessive of Usagi, and he had been downright rude. It pained him, thinking that perhaps Usagi had already moved on with Haruka. Of course, he was the one who broke up with her, and she had every right to move on, but… it pained him.<p>

He would never stop loving her, even if he couldn't be with her. He shuddered, thinking what could happen if he and Usagi stayed together. The Black Moon Clan wouldn't hesitate to exploit any perceived weakness, just like the Dark Kingdom hadn't hesitated to brainwash him and turn him against Usagi.

If it happened again… if he ever hurt her again… he closed his eyes against the thought. The sounds of her screams were never far from his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw and _felt_ himself hurting her. Torturing her. Nearly killing her. She was the one person he couldn't bear hurting—she was Serenity, Sailor Moon, his Usako.

She was everything to him, which was why it was better this way. And perhaps it was better if she moved on, with Haruka or someone else. He could see how much he hurt her with this breakup, but it was better that than he be used as a tool against her again. He was her biggest weakness, and she his. It was better this way.

Mamoru was pulled out of his depressing thoughts as a small hand slipped into his. He looked down and saw Chibiusa looking up at him, concern and curiosity in her eyes.

"Sorry," he said. "I guess I got a little lost in my thoughts. But I'm all yours now."

"What's going on between you and Usagi?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked. "There's nothing going on. We're friends."

"You always act so tense around each other," she said. "And you seem really unhappy whenever she's brought up, but whenever you see her, you can't look away from her."

"I…" Mamoru trailed off. He hadn't realized how much Chibiusa had noticed. She was so young, he had assumed she was oblivious to his complicated relationship with Usagi. "We recently broke up," he admitted. "We used to date."

"Why did you break up if you still love her?"

Mamoru stared at her in disbelief.

"I may be six, but I'm not an idiot," Chibiusa said, sticking her nose in the air. "It's kind of obvious."

Mamoru smiled. "I know you're not an idiot. Usagi and I broke up, because… well, it's complicated. But some bad things happened, and it's best if we're not together."

Chibiusa didn't look like she believed him, but she didn't say anything.

"Now, come on, let's go back to my apartment," Mamoru said. "I'll set up a room for you."

Chibiusa nodded, and they walked off towards Mamoru's apartment together, hand in hand.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the apartment a short while later, and Mamoru made a mental note to go out and buy some books or toys or something. His apartment wasn't very kid-friendly; it was mainly filled with medical textbooks. He had barely finished setting up a bed for Chibiusa when he heard a loud crash outside the building.<p>

"Stay here," Mamoru said to Chibiusa as he rushed out the door.

Outside the apartment complex was a youma. Mamoru cursed, and pulled out his cellphone.

He didn't have a specialized communicator like the Senshi, but he did have the phone numbers for Ami, Makoto, Rei and Minako, in case of emergency. And, of course, Usagi. He hesitated for a split second, wondering which of them to call. He settled on Ami. She was the most rational; she wouldn't let his breakup with Usagi interfere with business.

"Mamoru," she said as she picked up. He tone was cool and icy, but at least she was listening. "What do you want?"

"There's a youma right outside my apartment complex," he said. "Chibiusa's inside."

"We'll be there in a minute," Ami said, and hung up.

Mamoru observed the youma, analyzing it before making a move. It was very nimble and quick on its feet, and it was humanoid, with purple skin, long razor-sharp claws, and a tail, which seemed to be made out of fire.

He was just about to attack, or at least draw its attention away from the civilians, when a ball of lightning hit it. The youma screamed in pain, and turned to see who had attacked it. The Sailor Senshi had arrived.

"We were nearby," Jupiter said, seeing Mamoru's look.

He nodded, and slipped away to transform. The Senshi could take care of themselves, but he wanted to be ready, in case something happened.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Chibiusa was curious as to what was going on. She couldn't see anything, but she could hear screaming, and lots of loud crashes and bangs. She knew Mamoru had told her to stay inside the apartment… but surely it couldn't hurt to just peek outside, right?<p>

She hopped up off the couch, and carefully crept out to the hallway. She paused a moment at the front door of the building, but then she opened it and wandered outside. There was some kind of ugly monster, and the Sailor Senshi were fighting in. She wanted to see better, so she walked a little closer. The monster turned its eyes on her, and she screamed.

"Chibiusa!" Sailor Moon cried out. The youma had turned its attention on Chibiusa, and wad advancing rapidly, its claws out, ready to impale her. She was rooted to the spot in fear. Sailor Moon took off running, faster then she knew she could.

She launched herself in the air, and flung her arms around Chibiusa, knocking her aside. The youma's claws raked down Sailor Moon's back, and she cried out in pain. Beneath her, the little girl was shaking, but she seemed unharmed.

"Are you okay?" Sailor Moon asked.

Chibiusa nodded tearfully.

"Go back inside the apartment," she said, wincing as she sat up. "Run as fast as you can, okay? We'll hold off the youma. Go NOW!"

Chibiusa scrambled out from underneath Sailor Moon, and she ran off into the building, not looking back.

"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen rushed to her side. "You're wounded."

Sailor Moon resisted the urge to say something mean. Of _course_ she was wounded, that wasn't a particularly clever observation.

"Move aside," Sailor Mercury said brusquely, pushing away Tuxedo Kamen's hands. "I'll handle this. You go… do something useful."

Tuxedo Kamen frowned as Mercury crowded him out, but he didn't say anything. He still hovered, anxiously, not wanting to leave Sailor Moon when she was injured.

"The wounds don't look too terrible," he muttered with a sigh of relief. "But she is bleeding a lot."

"Go away!" Mercury's voice was harsh. "You're not helping anything by standing here and hovering like an idiot."

"You can't just order me away!" he said. "She's injured, she needs help!"

Mercury gave him a scathing look. "Really? I couldn't tell. I am trying to help her, and you are keeping me from doing that!"

Sailor Moon groaned. "Just go away. You're giving me a headache." She struggled to her feet, despite protests from both Tuxedo Kamen and Mercury.

"You said it yourself, they're not very terrible wounds," she said to Tuxedo Kamen. "I'll be fine. I need to finish off this youma."

Jupiter and Venus were dueling it out with the youma, while Mars took to helping the injured civilians, since Mercury was preoccupied with Sailor Moon.

"Moon Scepter Elimination!" she called out, and the youma turned to dust. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fainted from the combination of blood loss from her injury and energy loss from the use of the scepter. Tuxedo Kamen caught her just before she hit the ground.

* * *

><p>"Perhaps we underestimated her," Neptune said, watching from afar. "She seems like a capable warrior."<p>

"Perhaps," Uranus said. "But I still don't think we should join forces. You know what the costs of this battle could be. The Black Moon Clan isn't an ordinary foe. Do you really think Sailor Moon is ready to sacrifice anything in order to defeat them?

"Hmm," Neptune said. She was quiet after that.

"You're thinking about what she said the other day, aren't you." Uranus knew her partner too well.

"Yes, I am," Neptune admitted. "It made a lasting impression on me."

"True," Uranus said. "But she's so young. She's barely more than a child! I still don't think joining forces would be a good idea. It will only distract us from our end mission."

"You do have a point. Joining with these Sailor Senshi could hold us back, which is why I'm not suggesting we join forces. At least, not yet. It's just something to think about, yes?" she held a hand out to her partner with a smile.

"I'll think about it," Uranus said, and accepted Neptune's outstretched hand.

* * *

><p>Far off in the palace of the Black Moon Clan, Prince Demande sighed dreamily as he gazed into his crystal ball. Neo-Queen Serenity… she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes upon.<p>

He had hoped that after successfully taking over Crystal Tokyo, he might be able to sway her to his side, and convince her to love him. Or at least hypnotize her into believing she was in love with him, he didn't much care as long as she was by his side.

But unfortunately, the attack on Crystal Tokyo hadn't gone as planned. The Queen was now in a coma, a good portion of his youma had been defeated, the Silver Crystal was nowhere in sight, and the little brat of a princess had disappeared. The plan had been to take over Crystal Tokyo, killing the royal family, with the exception of Neo-Queen Serenity, and stealing the Silver Crystal to use as a power source for Nemesis and the Black Moon Clan.

"Prince Demande!" Rubeus, a powerful member of the Black Moon Clan, entered the throne room. "I have some good news, my liege."

"Hmm?" Demande tore his gaze away from the crystal ball, and Neo-Queen Serenity.

"I believe I have located the energy signature of the pesky Rabbit," Rubeus said. "There was a large spike earlier this afternoon, in downtown Tokyo."

"That is indeed good news!" Demande said. "Double our efforts to find her and kill her."

"My liege…" Rubeus hesitated. "She seems to be under the care of Sailor Moon."

"Perfect," Demande said, a smile growing on his face.

"But my liege… it might be harder to kill her than we thought."

Demande waved him away. "Double our efforts to find the Rabbit and kill her. Sailor Moon will not pose a problem."

His smile grew. He turned back to his crystal ball, and called up an image of Sailor Moon. She was so like Neo-Queen Serenity… indeed, there were rumors that Sailor Moon _was _Neo-Queen Serenity. He may not have been able to win over Neo-Queen Serenity or Crystal Tokyo, but he would try harder this time. He would be better prepared.

He would capture 21st century Tokyo, and he would make the young version of Neo-Queen Serenity his bride. And he would _not_ fail.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: If you're wondering about Usagi's previous conversation with Ikuko about being Sailor Moon, or the attack on her family that Usagi mentioned, that's in the prequel, Changes. :)<strong>

**Please review!**


	5. Tension

**AN: Wow. That is all I have to say. _Wow!_ I am completely blown away by the amazing response for last chapter- 8 reviews?! I am absolutely thrilled with the response I got, you guys rock.**

** , CherrySerenity-sama, SageMcGavin, Bin82501, maryyorke, Taeniaea, lilymoon80, and slightlyxjaded- you guys have made my week. Much love to all.**

* * *

><p>"Could we get a little cover here, Mercury?" Sailor Moon snapped, dodging a blow.<p>

"Working on it!" the blue-haired Senshi said, bringing her elbow up to block a hit from the youma. "Shabon Spray!" A cool mist settled over the area, blocking the Senshi from the youma's view.

Or at least, it was supposed to. Instead, the youma seemed to have no difficulty seeing through the mist, and it swung a clawed hand towards the Senshi. Growling, Sailor Moon pulled out her scepter to parry the blow. This particular youma seemed to favor brute force over magic, and it was making the Senshi rely more on their physical attacks.

Sailor Mars managed to break away from the fray, and conjured up her fire. "Burning Mandala!"

It hit the youma, but it seemed to have little effect. The youma, a lizard-like creature with tough, scaly skin and long claws on its hands, swung out at Sailor Mars, digging its claws into her shoulder. The fire Senshi cried out in pain, and fell to the ground, clutching her wounded shoulder.

Snarling, Sailor Moon twirled the Moon Scepter in her hands like a baton, and hit the youma with it. "Mercury, go tend to Mars!"

Mercury rushed off to aid the wounded Mars, and Jupiter, who had been hanging back and trying to get a shot at the youma with her lightning, fell in to fill the gap Mercury had left.

"Crescent Beam!" Venus tried, but it barely seemed to do any damage. The tough skin on the youma was making it difficult for any of their attacks to work successfully.

"Mercury, have you had a chance to scan it for weaknesses?" Sailor Moon asked.

The blunette looked up from where she was bandaging Mars' wound, and shook her head. "I scanned it earlier but there are none. Its thick, scaly skin is a very effective armor. If you can manage to pierce it, the youma is weak underneath, but it will be difficult to pierce its skin."

"Okay," Sailor Moon said to herself. "Focus." At least Chibiusa was out of danger. They'd been out for a walk in the park, as Chibiusa wanted to go feed the ducks in the pond, and enjoy the nice day. The moment the youma appeared, Usagi had told her to run as fast as she could to the Arcade. She'd be safe there.

"Jupiter and Venus, fall back and focus all your energy on the magic attacks," she said. "If you combine attacks, perhaps we'll be able to pierce its skin."

"What about you?" Jupiter asked.

"I'll keep attacking it from here," she said, dodging another blow. This one caught her in the side, though, and she winced. Luckily it hadn't seemed to do much more damage than a scrape. Glancing down at her side, there was only a slight trickle of blood.

Jupiter and Venus obeyed her command, and fell back, combining their attacks, again and again, trying to pierce the youma's skin, but to no avail. The youma remained unaffected by their attacks.

Tired of being on the defensive, Sailor Moon swung her scepter up, hitting the youma in the face. She thrust forward, swinging and jabbing, dodging blows and pushing the youma back. As she fought, she felt nothing but the wind in her hair and the sweat trickling down her neck. It was as if the world had slowed down, and she expertly parried the youma's blows with her own. All she knew was this fight, all she could see was the youma, all her senses her focused on one thing: this fight.

But then the trance shattered, as the youma successfully blocked one of her blows, and knocked her to the ground. It dove towards her, its claws aimed right towards her neck, but she threw up her scepter to block the blow. She could hear the Senshi shouting, trying to attack, and rushing forward, but the youma still pressed on.

Grunting from the force it took to hold the youma back, Sailor Moon felt her arms shaking with the effort, and her grip on the scepter loosening slightly as her arms started to give out. She slipped a little, and the youma's claws pressed against her throat. She knew that if she slipped even another centimeter, the claws would pierce her throat. She could hear the Senshi's attacks hitting the youma, but the youma was relentless in its attack, and for a moment, she felt truly scared. Was she going to die like this?

A red rose pierced the youma's hand, and the pressure against Sailor Moon's scepter suddenly released, as the youma fell back. Snarling, Sailor Moon yanked the scepter up and jammed it into the underside of the youma's body, finding it less armored than the rest.

"Moon Scepter Elimination!" she called out, and the youma finally turned to dust, and she fell to her knees.

"Are you alright?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, reaching a hand out to help her out.

"Fine," she said, ignoring his hand, and standing up by herself.

"How's your neck?" he asked, reaching a hand up to her throat. The youma's claws had just started to pierce her skin, and there was a red mark on her neck where the claws had been moments before.

"I'm fine," she snapped, swatting his hand away. She frowned, and paused. "Thanks," she added after a moment. "For saving my life."

"Of course," he said. "Look, I know things are… awkward between us, but—"

She cut him off. "I need to go check on Mars." Talking with him was the last thing she wanted to do right now. As she stalked off to check on her wounded teammate, she could hear him following her.

"Are you just going to walk away?" he called after her.

She spun back to face him, her eyes narrowing in anger. "Was there something else I was supposed to do? Fall into your arms? Thank you profusely for saving me from the big, scary youma? Things are different between us now, Mamoru, you've made that pretty clear."

His lips flattened into a line. "I know that. But…" he trailed off. "You should at least be more careful."

"More careful?" she threw her hands up in the air and turned her back to him, walking over towards the other Senshi.

"Yes, more careful!" he said, hurrying to keep up with her. "You were nearly killed today, Usagi!"

"So?" she turned to face him again. "I am nearly killed most days. It kind of comes with the territory of being a superheroine who has to defend Tokyo from evil forces that want to take over the world."

"That doesn't mean you can be reckless!" he shouted. "If I hadn't intervened, you would have died! Which, by the way, brings me to my next point." He turned to face the Senshi "Where the hell were you? Your job is to protect her, to keep her from harm, so why was it she was pinned down by a youma, seconds away from being impaled?"

"Hey!" she yelled at him. "Don't you dare talk to them like that. They are _my_ Senshi, _my_ team. You made it pretty clear you don't want to be involved with me, so you don't get to boss around my teammates. They were all doing their best."

"Well, their best isn't good enough!" he shouted, shaking her by the shoulders. "_You nearly died_. How does that not bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me," she said, shaking off his hands. "But I also know that it's not anyone's fault. These youma are more powerful than what we faced with the Dark Kingdom. We're all trying our hardest, but things like this happen."

He shook his head but didn't say anything else as he stalked off. Sighing, Sailor Moon turned her attention towards her Senshi, trying to push their argument out of her head. She had more pressing matters to worry about.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, the Senshi had de-transformed, and were heading back to the Arcade to retrieve Chibiusa, and also tend to Rei's wound more properly. Ami always had emergency first aid with her on the battlefield, so she had bandaged Rei's shoulder the best she could, but there were better medical supplies at their base.<p>

"I should really take a look at your wounds, too, Usagi," Ami said.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Ami. It barely scratched me. Rei is the only one we should be worrying about."

"Hmmph," Ami made a small noise of dissent. Clearly, she disagreed, but Usagi thought she worried too much. The Senshi were always getting injured, it came with the job. They had all learned to deal with their minor injuries, and Usagi didn't want to take up any more of Ami's energy. She worried that the blue-haired girl overworked herself sometimes. She was always researching, or healing or fighting, she never relaxed.

"Everything okay with you and Tux-boy?" Minako asked. "I mean, aside from the usual."

Usagi sighed. "I don't know. I just don't get it. I mean, _he_ broke up with _me_, completely out of the blue, claiming he just didn't love me. But then with the way he acts…" she rubbed her temples. "It all gives me a headache. I don't really want to talk about it."

Minako was silent after that, and they arrived at the Arcade a short while later. The others headed for the base, while Usagi promised to join them soon, after she checked up on Chibiusa.

"Hey there," Usagi said, finding Chibiusa in a booth with a milkshake in one hand, and some crayons in the other.

"You're back!" the little girl smiled brightly. "Can we go feed the ducks now?"

Usagi chuckled. "Not right now. But soon, okay? I promise."

The girl's face fell. "Okay."

"We can go tomorrow," Usagi said. "But for right now I need to go take care of something. I just wanted to check up you first, to see if you needed anything."

Chibiusa shook her head. "I'm okay. Motoki onii-san gave me a free milkshake, and some crayons to draw with. I like him."

Usagi smiled at her affectionate nickname for the blonde arcade worker. "Onii-san, huh? You know, that's what I call him sometimes, too."

"I guess that makes us sort of like sisters," the girl said shyly. "If he's both of our big brothers."

"I guess it does," Usagi said. She definitely felt a strong connection to the little girl, although it didn't quite feel sisterly. She shook her head. She didn't have time to dwell on that right now. In what was now becoming a habit, Usagi leaned down, and gave the girl a kiss on her forehead.

"Will you be back soon?" Chibiusa asked.

"Very soon," Usagi promised.

* * *

><p>"Why weren't those other Senshi there?" Rei was saying as Usagi walked down into their command center. "Much as I hate to say it, we could have really used their help."<p>

"Clearly we can't rely on them," Usagi said. She had hoped that their conversation—argument, really—when she told them off for always condescending her and doubting her abilities might have changed things. Rei was right, they _could_ really have used the help of the older Senshi. Not just earlier today, but in general. Clearly, the Black Moon Clan was a force to be reckoned with.

"We'll just have to be stronger," she continued. "So we don't need to rely on them to help out."

"I've been researching, but aside from knowing that they're a group of magic users from the 30th century, and have their sights set on Chibiusa, I'm afraid there isn't much I can discover," Ami said.

"It's okay," Usagi said, blowing her bangs out of her face. "We'll figure something out. Rei, how's your shoulder?"

"It's not too bad," she said, rolling her shoulder a bit to test it out. "I'll have a limited range of motion for a little while, and I can't lift anything heavy with it, but it's not too bad. Good thing I heal fast."

"Today was close," Makoto said. "_Too_ close. I don't like it. I don't like not knowing anything about the Black Moon Clan, I don't like having to rely on other Senshi to help us out. And we can't even rely on them, because they don't always show up! Ami, are you sure there isn't anything else you can do?"

"I'll try," she said. "I have been trying, anything I can think of, and I'll keep trying. But I don't know if we can approach this in a clinical, carefully thought out manner. We might just have to go at it with brute strength."

"Maybe so," Usagi said with a sigh. "I don't like it, either, but we might have to deal with not knowing." She dropped into a chair, and winced slightly as her wounded side pressed against the side of the chair.

"Let me have a look at it," Ami said. Usagi opened her mouth to protest, but Ami fixed her with a flat glare, and she relented.

"Fine." Grumbling, she went over to the medical section of their secret base, and let Ami pull up her shirt to treat the wound.

"I told you, it's just a scratch," Usagi said.

"It's true, the wound isn't very deep," Ami said, almost to herself, as she examined the claw marks. "But it looks like it's in danger of becoming infected. You really should have let me look at it earlier," she chided gently. "I don't know why you insist on being so stubborn."

Usagi rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything as Ami cleaned the wound and bandaged it. She insisted on being stubborn because she didn't want her friends to worry about her. All of them already had so much on their plate; they shouldn't have to worry each time she got a minor injury. It was part of the job.

* * *

><p>Mamoru paced around his apartment, trying to resist the urge to punch something. Usagi had come far too close to death today for his liking. Of course, if he had his way, she wouldn't ever be in danger, but he knew that was inevitable, it was part of being Sailor Moon. And he knew she was perfectly capable, but… sometimes she put herself in danger to protect her friends.<p>

It was a quality he both loved and hated. And she had always been like that, it wasn't anything new, but it had been simpler before. Before he'd broken up with her and broken both their hearts in the process. When he saw her pinned down by that youma, the claws pressed right against her throat, her strength obviously fading from the effort of holding it off… if anything happened to her… no. He would never let that happen.

_Of course_, a small part of his brain whispered, _it would be easier if you were together. If Usagi trusted you and loved you, you could better protect her._

"Dammit dammit dammit." He punched the wall in frustration. At least now his aching hand and the hole in his wall gave him something to focus on. He couldn't be with Usagi, because he was a danger to her. He had promised himself he would never let her be hurt, but how was he supposed to keep that promise if _he_ was the one doing the hurting?

It had been all too easy for the Dark Kingdom to brainwash him and turn him against her. And despite all of her claims that she was okay, that she knew it wasn't him who had been attacking, he knew it deeply disturbed her. He could never let something like that happen again. He could barely live with himself as is.

* * *

><p><em>His hands caressed her skin as he leaned down to kiss her. She sighed, melting into his body, her fingers curling in his long white hair.<em>

"_I've missed you," she said. "And I was starting to get worried. Where have you been?"_

_He didn't respond, but his hands tightened around her arms, to the point of pain._

"_You're hurting me!" she said. She looked up, and gasped at what she saw. His eyes were blank and cold, completely devoid of any emotion. He threw her to the ground, and she cried out in pain, but it wasn't from the force of hitting the ground._

"_Why are you doing this?" she cried. "Please, don't you recognize me?"_

_Again, he didn't say anything as he kicked her. "I know exactly who you are, you filthy Senshi," he said finally._

_She lay on the ground, curled in a ball as she sobbed and he attacked her. But no. She was stronger than this. She wouldn't let him defeat her, not so easily. With his next swing, she reached up and blocked it, stumbling to her feet._

"_There must be some part of you still left in there," she said. "Please."_

"_I am a warrior of the Dark Kingdom," he said. "That is who I am, all that I am."_

_Closing her eyes for a moment, she knew what had to be done. She opened her eyes and lunged forward, attacking, but he parried every blow. They grappled for several minutes, before she got close enough to embrace him._

"_You have to remember," she whispered, burying her face in his neck. "I can't survive without you. _Please_!" She gasped, stumbling backward, as she felt the sword slide between her ribs. She looked up at him, the only person she had ever given her heart to, as he drove the blade into her._

"_You've left me with no choice," she said. She pushed herself forward, crying out in pain as the sword dug in deeper. She wrapped her arms around him one last time, knowing she didn't have much time left. Her voice barely a whisper, she did what had to be done. "Crescent Beam." The world exploded in light and pain._

Minako woke with a gasp, clutching her beating heart. What was _that_? She'd been having dreams lately, about this mysterious white-haired man, but they had never been so… violent. Who _was_ he? And why was she dreaming about him?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I do hate to end on a cliffie, but well… oops. Any guesses as to who that mysterious man might be? Hmmm… ;-) Please keep being awesome and review!<strong>


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